Under the SwissEnergy programme, from 1 January 2003 all new cars will have to be labelled according to their fuel consumption. Gasoline-greedy vehicles will be graded a G, while the lowest fuel guzzlers will be awarded an A. Price lists and publicity material will have to mention the car’s category.
The move is designed to reduce average car consumption from its present 8.4 litres per 100 km to 6.4 litres by 2008. An Austrian study has estimated that the scheme will cut fuel consumption by 4-5% overall.
In a separate attempt to streamline transport, Switzerland is asking its population to leave their car at home for a day. On 22 September 70 communes will take part in a day ‘In town without my car.’